Flower of the Gods
by Mari Knickerbocker
Summary: Aldur was often reffered to as the lonely God, but that was never true, not when his seven disciples his seven sons came to live with him. Moreover, her very exsistance proves that even before his sons Aldur was never lonely.... fuller summary inside
1. A Strange Child

DISCLAMIER: I don't own the world of Belgarath the Sorcerer, that belongs to the wonderful David Eddings and his wife Leigh, I'm just passing through with some original ideas.

SUMMARY/EXPLINATION: This is only a collection of little scenes with an original character I had created, so if it appears scatter brained that is the nature of this story. Each new chapter is different scenes that take place at different times in the world of the Belgariad and the Malloreon. There really is not supposed to be any kind of order to this thing.

However, most of these chapters are likely to take place during Belgarath the Sorcerer and will be narrated by Belgarath; at least that is the earlier chapters. If the narration changes I will give you a heads up.

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Chapter 1: A Strange Child

We waited while our Master consulted with his brothers over Toark's theft of the Orb. My brothers had immediately noticed my new companion. That frisky she-wolf who followed me on my errand to fetch Belar and did not seem inclined to leave. They marveled over her apparent tameness and my sudden ability to speak Wolfish. Soon an argument developed about changing shape in order to learn new languages. Naturally, Blemakor and Beldin fueled this argument; in fact, they kept it going for centuries.

Gradually my brothers stopped their bickering becoming aware of a stranger approaching our group. They stared off in the distance at the approaching stranger. I noticed that some of my brothers looked worried. Belzendar, in particular, there was a clenching of his jaw and a tightening around his eye that I recognized immediately. He was focusing his will, preparing for what I do not know. No one else seemed as eager to draw in their wills, but they all looked ready to do so if needed. Our last visitor had been Toark, and his visit proved disastrous. Understandably, we were all wary especially because this stranger was so oddly formed. I believe Belmakor was the first to voice what we were all thinking.

"Who or what is that?" He asked calmly with a certain dry surprise, as always he retained his urban charm.

"Who or what indeed," Beldin replied his gravelly voice full of sarcasm. "At least people can tell that I'm a man." No one had anything to say after that.

The figure continued to approach us and it soon dissolved itself into a little girl riding a white horse. Back in the infancy of mankind horses were extremely demure in size. By this century's standards, she was riding a pony not a horse. She held herself proudly on her pony and rode right up to our group, stopping when she reached me. I wondered for a moment why she had chosen me as a spokesman; the she-wolf solved that problem for me.

"One notices that the other two-legers think you are the pack leader." There was a certain amount of amusement in her observation that I could have done without. Although she made sense, I was after all the eldest.

The girl sat calmly on her horse watching me; I felt as though she was measuring me on some unknown scale, further more that I had to pass before she could speak to me. She sat there waiting a long time and as she waited, I took the opportunity to take my measure of her.

She was young, surprisingly young to my mind. Although it had been a few centuries since I was last around someone younger than a hundred. This child could not be older than ten and no younger than four if I was any judge of age. She looked positively doll-like sitting there on that white horse, an image that was only reinforced by how she was dressed.

She was wearing a doublet and hose that were at least two sizes to big for her. She compensated for the doublet's bagginess by rolling the sleeves up. That way her hands would be free to hold the reigns, or rather the rope that passed for a reign. She had wrapped a rope belt around her waist twice, to keep the doublet from falling beyond her knees. Even the legs of the hose were rolled up, and I noticed with some amusement that she was barefooted.

"Hello," she finally said breaking the silence. Apparently, I had passed her test. For such a younger creature, she had such a solemn manner about her, nothing childlike about it at all.

"Hello little one, can I help you?" I asked trying not to smile at how serious she was being. I found her seriousness to be both endearing and amusing.

"I am looking for my father, have you seen him?" I was taken aback by her question; I truly did not expect such a response. I turned around to look back at my brothers, rather accusatorily, wondering which one of them could be this child's father. I could not believe that there was any other reason for her to search for her father within the Vale.

"They're not my father," she said with a chuckle and I turned back to her perplexed.

"Who is your father then?" I asked, she opened her mouth to answer but was distracted by the sight of my Master's brothers walking past us.

At first, I attributed her sudden fascination as her reaction to seeing a God for a first time, let alone five of them. Yet, she did not have that look of dumbfounded surprise that I had come to associate with a person sensing a God's presence for the first time. In fact, their presence seemed to put her completely at ease.

I must admit I was alive with curiosity as to why she did not seem shocked by the presence of the God's. I did not have to wait long to find out either, for at that moment Mara stepped into her line of sight and the child let out an excited squeal, sitting up straighter on her pony. Mara stopped mid step to turn and looked over at her, he smiled when he saw her sitting there and to my and my bother's astonishment greeted her warmly.

"Roisin dear heart," she squealed even louder at the sound of Mara's greeting. She leapt gracefully off her horses' bareback and hit the ground running at full speed. Without hesitation, she hurled herself into Mara's waiting arms.

"Uncle!" she exclaimed her once solemn voice becoming very childlike. I felt my jaw drop open in shock and knew that my brothers were having similar reactions. I gazed at the sight before me feeling as though I had been hit in the face with a dead fish.

As I watched stunned, the other Gods came to gather around their brother, who was now holding the exuberant child. She was chatting his ear off, an action that caused the others to smile and even laugh affectionately at her. One statement she made caused Belar to throw his head back and laugh uproariously. She twisted in Mara's arms to pout rather prettily at the young God.

"Uncle Belar," she asked seriously. "Why do you laugh at me?" Belar stifled more laughter at her question and reached to take her from his older brother's arms. He held her at arms length, so her face was even with his own. After a moment, he gave her a kiss on her forehead and drew her into a quick, fierce hug before answering her.

"Thee hath brought me much joy, my beloved Roisin."

Then Issa the god of Nyissa reached out for the child, and she was soon past amongst the Gods like a well-loved rag doll. Each God held her tight to him, seeming to take comfort in her presence. It was with reluctance that they would relinquish her to those waiting to hold her. Sometimes they would ask her questions while other times they were content to let her chatter at them. One thing stayed constant, holding Roisin brought hope to the Gods' faces, were before there had been sorrow.

Eventually she was passed back into the waiting arms of Mara. Once returned to her Uncle she wiggled in his grasp until Mara held her out at arms length. He studied her for a moment then gave her a rather puzzled look. I had never seen an expression of bewilderment on a God before. It was a talent unique to Roisin, the ability to confuse a God.

"Uncle where is my father?" Mara smiled softly at her rather demanding question.

"Thee must ask Belgarath to take thee to thine father." Mara answered her, setting her down after giving Roisin one last kiss on the cheek. She stared up at him resting her hands on her hips; obviously, that wasn't the answer she wanted. I almost expected her to stamp her little foot in irritation at the God.

"I have asked but he doesn't understand!" She said with a pout. I was surprised to learn that she already knew who I was.

"Then thee must show him," Mara replied patiently. "Belgarath knows thine father well and will lead thee to him."

"If you say so Uncle," Roisin agreed reluctantly. Mara chuckled at her lack of enthusiasm then turned her around so she was once again facing my brothers and me. He then gave Roisin a gentle pat on her backside to send her on her way. She giggled at that then turned back around to say goodbye to her remaining uncles. They all returned her farewells with enthusiasm, then resolutely continued on their way out of the Vale.

Roisin calmly sauntered back to her horse. She had this whimsical smile on her young face that made her seem older. She climbed effortlessly back onto the bare back of her horse then sat there staring directly at me. I lifted a quizzical eyebrow at her and her face broke out into a huge grin sending a mischievous twinkle to her peculiar blue-green eyes. I suddenly had the feeling that she could be trouble incarnate.

"Belgarath, please can you take me to my father?" She asked me calmly.

"Perhaps, Roisin," I answered her hesitantly liking the taste of her name on my tongue. "If you sowed me who your father is"—

She interrupted me with a resigned sigh and to my further astonishment performed a flawless illusion of my Master. She smiled at the expression on my face.

"Can you take me to him now?" She asked sweetly. My only reply was to nod, I had been rendered speechless, and the deafening silence behind me was testimony to my brother's shock. "Then lead the way," She said handing the reins to her mount to me.

Then Roisin proceed to curl up on her mount's back laying on her side. I thought her position to be a dangerous one but I did not know how to tell her that. Instead, I began the walk towards my Master's tower gently leading the white pony and with the wolf and my brothers following.

We were halfway to Aldur's tower when I could no longer allow her to sit on her mount in, what to my mind, was a perilous manner. I stopped and Roisin lazily opened an eye. For some reason her manner annoyed me.

"Roisin, could you sit upon your pony properly?" I asked as calmly as I could.

"I won't fall Belgarath, Snow would not allow it."

"I am not that convinced." I said tartly and my harshness had no effect on her. She merely shrugged.

"If it bothers you so, fix it." Behind me, I distinctly heard Beldin choking on his own laughter.

Exasperated by her indifference to her own safety I boldly lifted her off the animal's back. I was about to set her back on the horse, so she was sitting the proper way, when she calmly laid her hand along my cheek. I received a jolt at her touch that froze me, and she laughed at my expression. At the sound of her laughter, my heart leapt within me. I found myself smiling in return.

"There now Belgarath," she said as I returned her to her mount, "was that so hard?" I did not answer, but then she already knew what my answer was. We continued our walk to my Master's tower in comfortable silence.

When we reached Aldur's tower Roisin dismounted from her pony then laid her hand along the pony's flank softly murmuring into its ear. With a whinny, the pony turned and trotted off. Roisin watched it go then turned her attention back to us.

She calmly slipped her small hand into my own without even bothering to ask if I would mind. Truth be told, I found the touch of her small hand comforting. The she-wolf noticed this immediately, and I noticed that she did not seem to mind Roisin's apparent attachment to me.

"One notes that you are good with pups," the she-wolf commented. I did not make a reply, for I was hoping that the wolf's observation had gone unnoticed. I was soon to learn that not much escaped Roisin's notice.

"Are you not afraid that he will run off?" Belzendar asked Roisin, he was clearly shocked by how she simply let the animal free.

"Snow will not get lost he knows where I am that's all that matters." She replied with a simple shrug.

"Is he tame?" Belsambar asked, she smiled at his question.

"yes, quite tame." She turned to me then, "May I see my father now?"

"In a moment," I answered leading her to the stone that opened my Master's tower. I opened it effortlessly with the command of my will. At the stone's sudden movement Roisin jumped then giggled.

"What fun!" She exclaimed acting like the child she was, "May I try?" She looked at me then her eyes wide and dancing with mirth.

"Would you rather see your father first?"

"Oh yes," her reply was breathless and I found myself being pulled across the threshold.

We walked up the time wore steps with Roisin still holding my hand and with her other hand trailing along the stonewall. I was keenly aware of her presence at my side and felt oddly protective of the child. I was also unreasonably curious about how Aldur managed to have a daughter and not mention her or her mother to us. For some reason I did not think that I would ever get an answer from my Master. Instead, if I wanted my curiosity fulfilled I would have to ask Roisin herself.

When we reached the top of the stairs, we found Aldur sitting at his table examining his hands, his eyes distant and sad. Roisin could no longer be contained at the sight of her father. She squirmed her way out of my grip, before I could even react.

"Father!" she said laughing as she rushed across the tower room, only to be swept up into a crushing embrace. For a moment, the grief of his brother's betrayal left our Master's face.

"Polroisin my beloved daughter," Aldur greeted her with a kiss. "Come let me introduce thee to thy brothers."


	2. Our Sister

latter that same day...

Chapter 2: Our Sister

"Polroisin these are thy brothers." My Master told his unexpected and oddly mature child, who even now was comfortably curled up in his lap like a cat. She looked at us seven disciples of Aldur with some interest but then returned her attention to the God she called Father. Her brow wrinkled in concern as she noticed the faint mark on my Master's cheek; an obvious reminder of Toark's treachery.

"Father," she asked covering the mark with her small hand. "Who has hurt you?"

"Thy uncle Torak." Aldur answered, not bothering to hide the truth from her. Roisin's young face hardened in anger and her eyes glinted with a fierce determination. I heard Beldin whistle at the fierceness of the child's expression.

"Torak is not my uncle!" Roisin responded with surprising heat, even Aldur was taken aback by it. Personally I found the child's loyalty to Aldur to be rather touching.

"Torak is thy uncle, Polroisin, and deserves thy love." Aldur said gently, scolding her for her outburst.

"No," she replied stubbornly. It was a willful statement and felt almost like a blow to all of us there. "Torak has hurt my family for the last time and has lost my love." I blinked rapidly trying to hide my surprise. Then I physically felt power being drawn form me and everywhere else in the Tower. A quick glance at my brothers confirmed that they felt the same. I stared at the child in amazement, in that moment I was forced to acknowledge that she had the Will and power of a God. All my earlier doubts were instantly banished.

"Roisin!" Aldur's voice was sharp. Quickly the growing tension in the Tower evaporated and the child not only looked extremely embarrassed by what she had done but suddenly burst into sobs and clung to her father, burrowing her head in his shoulder.

"What has Toark done?" My Master asked. He had a look in his eyes suggesting that he already knew the answer, and dreaded it. It was heartbreaking the way he looked at her then.

"He has taken Mother and sister to the fires," was the muffled reply. "Those nasty priests made me watch." To my right I heard the swift and sudden intake of breath from Belsambar. He knew the horror of what the Angark God's priests did better than the rest of us. Aldur held her closer to him then and looking over her head, he caught my gaze.

It is difficult to say what exactly passed between my Master and me then. However, I had gotten the sense that he wished he could have protected her as well as the girl's mother and sister from Torak but was unable to do so. Aldur later explained to me that what had happened was out of Necessity.

He tried to console his daughter and eventually after several minutes of intense crying Roisin began to settle down. What had once been heart-wrenching sobs became nothing more than a couple of sniffles and some hiccups. By that point, the young she-wolf had gone and laid her head in Aldur's lap. He stroked her head and encouraged Roisin to do the same, trying to distract her from her grief with the animal's obvious concern. Slowly Roisin began to regain her composure. She charmingly whipped her nose on Aldur's sleeve and rubbed at her bloodshot eyes. Then she curled up even tighter in Aldur's lap and seemed content to stay there. Soon her eyelids began to droop and it looked as if she might fall asleep.

Clearly, Belkira and Beltira thought she would for they began to try to shoo us out of our Master's Tower. I am willing to believe that she would have but then Belzendar, who had ignored the twins efforts, cleared his throat and her eyes snapped open. I could have sworn that Aldur was annoyed with his second disciple. I certainly was and could have happily throttled him for his stupidity. Could he not see that the child was emotionally exhausted and needed to sleep?

"Will our Master introduce us to our sister?" He asked of all things. Aldur studied Belzendar's face for a moment before replying. Yet even before he could open his mouth Roisin had wriggled her way out of his lap and was now making her way over to Beldin with the she-wolf in tow.

She studied my youngest brother for a while before saying anything. Oddly enough, Beldin so easily annoyed with excessive staring bore her scrutiny without any complaints.

"Why are you so dirty?" Roisin asked wrinkling her nose at him. I bit my cheek half-expecting Beldin to curse at the girl in reply, instead all he did was shrug. She cocked her head to the side and watched him a bit longer, then with a completely straight face declared:

"I have seen shit cleaner than you." Everyone was taken aback by her brashness and knowledge – let alone use – of such a term. I stole a glance at my Master to see that he was trying to hide a smile and look stern at the same time.

"So, I've seen shit bigger than you." Beldin replied with a grin and in response Roisin laughed throwing her arms around Beldin's waist, hugging him in a surprisingly strong embrace. I saw my gruff brother's eyes soften then with an unexpected gentleness before he enthusiastically returned her embrace.

I did not know what to be more surprised by: her skill at swearing, or the deft way in which she had infiltrated all of Beldin's defenses. She accomplished in moments what had taken even her Father some years to achieve.

She released him asking, "What is your name?"

"Beldin." She smiled and patted his cheek before moving on to Belsambar.

"You're an Angark." She blurted after getting a good look at him.

"Yes," he replied sounding very contrite, "it seems we have much in common." She nodded sagely in response to that. "I am Belsambar."

She looked him straight in the eye for a moment then said, "Don't blame yourself Belsambar."

My brother started at her in shock. He looked like he wanted to say something more but she had already moved on.

"Hello little lady," Belmakor greeted her, "I'm Belmakor." He said introducing himself with a flourishing bow. Belmakor was always one to lay on the charm. Roisin giggled in response to his antics.

"How would you like to learn mathematics Polroisin?" Belmakor offered.

"I would like to but please call me Roisin brother." With that, she moved on to the twins.

"We are," Belkira began.

"Belkira and Beltira," Beltira finished.

"Hello," she sounded sad and they noticed it immediately.

"Why are you sad sister?" Belkira asked her kneeling so that he could look her directly in the eye.

"Because I miss my twin," she answered with a quivering lip and threatening tears. Instantly the twins swept her up into a warm embrace. After a few minutes, they set her back down and I watched as she squared her shoulders and stifled her tears. Both Belkira and Beltira laid a hand on her head in a comforting benediction and she smiled up at them before moving on.

When she came to stand before Belzendar he knelt in front of her with what I thought was a condescending look on his face. I noticed that the she-wolf – who had been completely at ease in the presence of my other brothers – was now standing very close to the child and looked ready to pounce if necessary.

"Hello sister, it is a pleasure to finally meet you I am your second oldest brother Belzendar." He told her blatantly speaking down to her. She observed him with a bland face and I thought I saw contempt and pity in her eyes.

"I suppose I must mind what you say." She did not sound enthusiastic.

"It would be helpful," he replied reaching out and rubbing his hand through her hair. He drew his hand back quickly as if it had been burned. He started at her in shock for a moment and she smirked back up at him then went to stand in front of me.

"Hello Belgarath," she said, "do you believe me now?" there was a mischievous twinkle in her eye and an innocent look upon her face that I refused to fall for.

"Yes Roisin, I do." I told her with a chuckle.

"That's very good brother, now we can have fun!" At that, she jumped clapping her hands and we all laughed at her antics.

"Do you want to go play now?" She asked me in that serious manner of hers. I found myself conflicted, I wanted to spend more time in her company, but I also wanted to hear the results of my Master's consultation with his brothers.

"Perhaps not right now Roisin," I told her with some reluctance. She sighed in resignation at my answer than turned towards her father.

"May I go play?"

"Only if thee remain in the Vale." Aldur told her and she readily agreed. With a wave goodbye she began to skip down the stairs. I caught the she-wolf's eye and told her;

"One suggests that you go with the young pup."

"One has already reached that conclusion." She replied with a superior flick of her tail and a lupine grin.

I watched in irritation as she followed the child down the tower stairs. I had the sudden premonition that between Roisin and the she-wolf my life was going to be anything but predictable or dull.


End file.
